Clarification: No Salary/Special Allowances for PCB Chairman

LAHORE–Mr Najam Sethi, Chairman PCB vehemently denies the news item published in your newspaper (Express, Lahore/Ummat, Karachi) alleging that he has received a salary of Rs2,698,841/= for one year without having paid withholding tax.

The facts are:

1) Transparency International Pakistan has issued details of a cheque for Rs2,698,841/= from PCB to Mr Sethi and drawn unwarranted conclusions from it without bothering to ascertain the facts, indicating its mala fide intent. Mr Najam Sethi is issuing a defamation notice to TIP.

2) Mr Najam Sethi is working as Chairman PCB in an honorary capacity, without taking any salary.

3) Despite having an entitlement of 3,500cc vehicle, he has not used a PCB car during the entire year that he has served as its Chairman.

4) The above amount was sanctioned by PCB Management Committee as compensation for use of armoured car at 25% of the market rate, only for 15 days a month, for the period July 2013 to April 2014 (excluding the time he was not PCB Chairman). But he still returned the said amount in full to PCB (through cheque # 1504656312 dated April 30, 2014 drawn on MCB, Main Market Branch, Lahore – copy enclosed).

5) When he returned the money to PCB, Mr Sethi wrote: “I am of the view that the Management Committee should review the matter and reduce the facility further so that no untoward charge can ever be made against me for receiving undue allowances”.

6) Withholding tax amounting to Rs476,266/= was deducted by the PCB Finance Department while making the payment to Mr Sethi and subsequently deposited in the Treasury. Mr Sethi has also paid back the withholding tax through cheque # 1504656313 dated May 31, 2014 (Copy enclosed).